Myer boss Olivia Wirth reshuffles executives ranks

Olivia Wirth has put her mark on the department store with the biggest executive shake-up in years with the appointment of two Qantas executives, many veterans departures and the creation of new roles.

Myer executive chairman Olivia Wirth at its Sydney store. Picture: John Feder/The Australian

Myer boss Olivia Wirth has made her biggest mark on the department store since she joined in June, forging a restructure of key executive ranks that will see a renewed focus on digital, women’s apparel, beauty as well as the departure of veteran managers and the poaching of another executive from her old employer Qantas.

In a staff email circulated on Wednesday Ms Wirth revealed further aspects of her planned restructure and rejuvenation of the 124-year-old department store that will see a greater emphasis on digital and e-commerce, a bigger push into women’s and beauty – which Ms Wirth believes is sorely needed – and the arrival of a colleague from when she was the Qantas loyalty boss.

It marks the biggest changes to Myer’s top general manager and executive ranks since Ms Wirth was handed unprecedented power at Myer to be its executive chairman and signals a new push by the former Qantas loyalty boss into a number of areas for the retailer, including digital and loyalty which is something she specialised in at her long tenure at the airline.

The reshuffle and creation of two new roles within its department store operations – general manager merchandise for beauty, accessories and services and a general merchandise manager for women’s apparel – as well as the creation of the new role of general manager for digital commerce will also see the departure of a number of Myer veterans some of whom have been at the retailer for almost 40 years.

Ms Wirth has signalled that she is keen to develop and improve Myer’s women’s wear and beauty categories, which she believes can do better and will help lead an earnings revival at Myer.

A third new role created by Ms Wirth, covering transformation, will be filled by a former Qantas executive who has now been poached to join her at the retailer.

Following the staff email, Myer announced it had hired Darren Wedding as its new chief supply chain officer, poaching the executive from the scandal-plagued Super Retail Group.

Mr Wedding will join from Super Retail, the ASX-listed owner of the Rebel, Supercheap Auto, Macpac and BCF brands and which is currently engulfed with a workplace lawsuit launched by two former senior executives turned whistleblowers.

He was at Super Retail for the last five years, when he led the transformation of the retailer’s supply chain and distribution centres for its online business and 700-plus stores.

Myer’s store in Sydney’s CBD. Picture: Gaye Gerard/NewsWire

The executive changes and hirings come as Boston Consulting conducts a company-wide review into the department store operations, with the results and findings of that review to be used by Ms Wirth to further restructure and redirect the company in the coming years.

“I wanted to update you on some significant changes to the executive management team and senior leadership positions we’re announcing today as we reposition the business for growth and implementation of our Full Potential Plan,” Ms Wirth said in her staff email.

With the already announced departure of supply chain boss Tony Carr and chief merchandise officer Allan Winstanley in the second half of the year to return to the UK to be closer to their families, chief operating officer Tony Sutton, with three other executives will oversee supply chain until Mr Carr’s replacement is appointed.

An executive search is well progressed to fill the chief merchandise officer role, Ms Wirth said.

As part of her digital revamp, chief information officer Ben Fitzgerald will leave the business immediately. After 36 years with Myer, Tim Clark has decided to retire as executive general manager, property, store design and development on March 31.

A new role of chief transformation officer has been created with that job filled by Andrew Taylor, who joins after a long career at Qantas. Ms Wirth has also poached 10 year Qantas marketing veteran Clarabella Burley to be Myer’s chief marketing officer. Ms Burley began that role in July.

Ms Wirth worked at Qantas for 14 years, including running its loyalty program for six years.

Myer Chermside completed a refit of the store late last year. Picture: David Clark

As part of the creation of the new general manager role focusing on beauty, accessories and services Annabel Talbot, currently in charge of womenswear, intimates, footwear, accessories and beauty will be leaving the business. Also, Susan Braidwood – general manager stores – Victoria/Tasmania – will be departing from the business after 36 years with Myer.

The new role of general manager – digital commerce – will be filled by Warwick Blunt from November. Mr Blunt has worked across large corporate, growth equity and start-up digital businesses in the United States including Walmart, Food52 and Cedar Brands.

The executive reshuffle and restructure comes as Myer also considers acquiring the retail apparel brands from Solomon Lew’s Premier Investments which would hand in fashion and apparel brands Just Jeans, Portmans, Dotti, Jay Jays and Jacqui E.